Balloon popping device

ABSTRACT

A device for rupturing a balloon in response to an opening of a door. The inventive device includes a piercing assembly mountable over a door for supporting and selectively piercing a balloon. A trigger assembly coupled to the piercing assembly is responsive to an opening of the door to actuate the piercing assembly so as to rupture the balloon over an individual.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to automatic piercing structures and moreparticularly pertains to an balloon popping device for rupturing aballoon is response to an opening of a door.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The use of automatic piercing structures is known in the prior art. Morespecifically, automatic piercing structures heretofore devised andutilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected andobvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designsencompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for thefulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.

While the prior art automatic piercing structures fulfill theirrespective, particular objectives and requirements, the prior art doesnot disclose a balloon popping device for rupturing a balloon inresponse to an opening of a door which includes a piercing assemblymountable over a door for supporting and selectively piercing a balloon,and a trigger assembly coupled to the piercing assembly responsive to anopening of the door to actuate the piercing assembly so as to rupturethe balloon over an individual passing through the door.

In these respects, the balloon popping device according to the presentinvention substantially departs from the conventional concepts anddesigns of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatusprimarily developed for the purpose of rupturing a balloon in responseto an opening of a door.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types ofautomatic piercing structures now present in the prior art, the presentinvention provides a new balloon popping device construction wherein thesame can be utilized for selectively popping a balloon over anindividual walking through a door. As such, the general purpose of thepresent invention, which will be described subsequently in greaterdetail, is to provide a new balloon popping device apparatus and methodwhich has many of the advantages of the automatic piercing structuresmentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a balloonpopping device which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, oreven implied by any of the prior art automatic piercing structures,either alone or in any combination thereof.

To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a device forrupturing a balloon in response to an opening of a door. The inventivedevice includes a piercing assembly mountable over a door for supportingand selectively piercing a balloon. A trigger assembly coupled to thepiercing assembly is responsive to an opening of the door to actuate thepiercing assembly so as to rupture the balloon over an individual.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more importantfeatures of the invention in order that the detailed description thereofthat follows may be better understood, and in order that the presentcontribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additionalfeatures of the invention that will be described hereinafter and whichwill form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of theinvention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited in its application to the details of construction and to thearrangements of the components set forth in the following description orillustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of otherembodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways.Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminologyemployed herein are for the purpose of description and should not beregarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception,upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basisfor the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carryingout the several purposes of the present invention. It is important,therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalentconstructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope ofthe present invention.

Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S.Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially thescientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiarwith patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from acursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure ofthe application. The abstract is neither intended to define theinvention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is itintended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a newballoon popping device apparatus and method which has many of theadvantages of the automatic piercing structures mentioned heretofore andmany novel features that result in a balloon popping device which is notanticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of theprior art automatic piercing structures, either alone or in anycombination thereof.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a new balloonpopping device which may be easily and efficiently manufactured andmarketed.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new balloonpopping device which is of a durable and reliable construction.

An even further object of the present invention is to provide a newballoon popping device which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacturewith regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is thensusceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, therebymaking such balloon popping devices economically available to the buyingpublic.

Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a newballoon popping device which provides in the apparatuses and methods ofthe prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneouslyovercoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a newballoon popping device for rupturing a balloon in response to an openingof a door.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new balloonpopping device which includes a piercing assembly mountable over a doorfor supporting and selectively piercing a balloon, and a triggerassembly coupled to the piercing assembly responsive to an opening ofthe door to actuate the piercing assembly so as to rupture the balloonover an individual passing through the door.

These together with other objects of the invention, along with thevarious features of novelty which characterize the invention, arepointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming apart of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention,its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses,reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptivematter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of theinvention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood and objects other than those setforth above will become apparent when consideration is given to thefollowing detailed description thereof. Such description makes referenceto the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric illustration of a balloon popping deviceaccording to the present invention in use.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged isometric illustration of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view thereof.

FIG. 4 s a further side elevation view of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a front elevation view of an alternative form the presentinvention.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the alternative form of the invention takenfrom line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1-6thereof, a new balloon popping device embodying the principles andconcepts of the present invention and generally designated by thereference numeral 10 will be described.

More specifically, it will be noted that the balloon popping device 10comprises a piercing means 12 for supporting a balloon 14 relative to asupport surface such as a wall as illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings,and for selectively piercing or rupturing the balloon 14. A triggermeans 16 is coupled to the piercing means 2 and couplable to a door knob18 of a door 20 so as to effect actuation of the piercing means 12 inresponse to an opening of the door 20 by an individual walking throughthe associated the door frame. By this structure, the piercing means 12will selectively rupture the balloon 14 in response to an opening of thedoor 20 so as to dispense contents of the balloon onto an individualresiding therebelow.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 2 through 4, it can be shown that thepiercing means 2 according to the present invention 10 preferablycomprises a fixed member 22 securable to a vertical wall surface or thelike substantially above the door 20 as shown in the drawings. Apivoting member 24 is pivotally coupled to the fixed member 22 by ahinge 26. A support hook 28 extends from the fixed member 22 forengaging and supporting a balloon 14 along a front face of the fixedmember. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a piercing element 30 extends fromthe pivoting member 24 and is configured for piercing engagement withthe balloon 14 when suspended from the support hook 28 in front of thefixed member 22. By this structure, a rotation of the pivoting member 24from the horizontal position illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 into thevertical position illustrated in FIG. 4 will result in engagement of thepiercing element 30 against the balloon 14 so as to cause a rupturingthereof. The contents of the 15 balloon 14, which may includepressurized air, confetti, or fluid, will then be dispensed onto anindividual residing below the balloon 14 to constitute a practical joke.

As shown in FIGS. 1 through 4, the trigger means 16 according to thepresent invention 10 preferably comprises a support arm 32 pivotallymounted to the fixed member 22. The pivoting member 24 is shaped so asto define a notch 34 directed thereinto, with the support arm 32residing within the notch 34 of the pivoting member 24 so as to supportthe same in the horizontal position illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3 ofthe drawings. A tether 36 is coupled to the support arm 32 and extendstherefrom to terminate in a loop 38 positionable about the door knob 18of the door 20. The tether 36 is coupled to the support arm 32 such thata tensioning of the tether will pull the support arm 32 from the notch34 so as to permit a gravitationally induced rotation of the pivotingmember towards the fixed member 22 such that the piercing elementengages the balloon 14 to effect rupturing thereof. By this structure,an individual opening the door 20 will effect tensioning of the tether36 and subsequent rupturing of the balloon 14 as described above.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6 wherein an alternative form the presentinvention 10 is illustrated in detail, it can be shown that the piercingmeans 12 according to the present invention 10 may further comprise asecond fixed member 40 secured to the fixed member 22 and including asecond support hook 42 extending therefrom for supporting anotherballoon 14 within the piercing means 12. A second pivoting member 44 iscoupled to the pivoting member 24 and includes a second piercing element46 projecting therefrom. By this structure, a pair of balloons 14 can besuspended from the support hooks 28 and 42 so as to effect simultaneousrupturing of both balloons in response to an opening of a door 20.

In use, the balloon popping device 10 according to the present inventioncan be easily utilized for effecting rupturing of a balloon 14positioned above a door 20 so as to dispense contents of the balloonsonto an individual entering or exiting through the door. The presentinvention 10, as noted above, can be utilized in conjunction with aballoon 14 filled with air, fluid, or other material such as confetti orthe like to be dispensed.

As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of thepresent invention, the same should be apparent from the abovedescription. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the mannerof usage and operation will be provided.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized thatthe optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, toinclude variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and mannerof operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obviousto one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to thoseillustrated in the drawings and described in the specification areintended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of theprinciples of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications andchanges will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is notdesired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operationshown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications andequivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of theinvention.

What is claimed as being new and desired to be protected by LettersPatent of the United States is as follows:
 1. A balloon popping devicecomprising:a piercing means for supporting a balloon relative to asupport surface and for selectively piercing the balloon, wherein thepiercing means comprises a fixed member securable to a wall surface; apivoting member pivotally coupled to the fixed member; a support memberextending from the fixed member for engaging and supporting a balloonalong a front face of the fixed member; a piercing element extendingfrom the pivoting member and positioned for piercing engagement with aballoon suspendable from the support member in front of the fixedmember: a trigger means coupled to the piercing means and coupled to adoor knob of a door so as to effect actuation of the piercing means inresponse to an opening of the door.
 2. A balloon popping device of claim1, wherein the trigger means comprises a support arm pivotally mountedto the fixed member, the pivoting member being shaped so as to define anotch directed thereinto, with the support arm residing within the notchof the pivoting member so as to support the same relative to the fixedmember; a tether coupled to the support arm and extending therefrom toterminate in a loop positionable about a door knob of a door, the tetherbeing coupled to the support arm such that a tensioning of the tetherwill pull the support arm from the notch so as to permit agravitationally induced rotation of the pivoting member towards thefixed member.
 3. The balloon popping device of claim 2, and furthercomprising a second fixed member secured to the fixed member andincluding a second support member extending therefrom for supportinganother balloon within the piercing means; a second pivoting membercoupled to the pivoting member and including a second piercing elementprojecting therefrom such that a pair of balloons can be suspended fromthe support members to effect simultaneous rupturing of both balloons.4. A balloon popping device comprising:a piercing means for supporting aballoon relative to a support surface and for selectively piercing theballoon, and a balloon supported by the piercing means, wherein thepiercing means comprises a fixed member securable to a wall surface; apivoting member pivotally coupled to the fixed member; a support memberextending from the fixed member, the balloon being engaged and supportedalong a front face of the fixed member by the support member; a piercingelement extending from the pivoting member and positioned for piercingengagement with said balloon suspendable from the support member infront of the fixed member: and a trigger means coupled to the piercingmeans and coupled to a door knob of a door so as to effect actuation ofthe piercing means in response to an opening of the door.
 5. The balloonpopping device of claim 4, wherein the trigger means comprises a supportarm pivotally mounted to the fixed member, the pivoting member beingshaped so as to define a notch directed thereinto, with the support armresiding within the notch of the pivoting member so as to support thesame relative to the fixed member; a tether coupled to the support armand extending therefrom to terminate in a loop positionable about a doorknob of a door, the tether being coupled to the support arm such that atensioning of the tether will pull the support arm from the notch so asto permit a gravitationally induced rotation of the pivoting membertowards the fixed member.
 6. The balloon popping device of claim 5, andfurther comprising a second balloon; a second fixed member secured tothe fixed member and including a second support member extendingtherefrom, the second balloon being secured to the second support memberwithin the piercing means; a second pivoting member coupled to thepivoting member and including a second piercing element projectingtherefrom such that the balloons can be simultaneously ruptured.